Riches and Bitches: I have a gate to an isekai and leveling-up system!-Chapter 212: The weight of an empire

"Or to simply keep up the ruse of still having some enemies left to conquer."

What started as some sort, of unspecified existential need for the empire, I quickly came to clarify and even suggest the most likely answer.

"I'm sorry, but what was your name again?" Etaria asked as she squinted her golden eyes a little bit further while locking them on my face.

"I'm Peter Von Ziaq, Your Majesty," I courtly replied with a slight bow.

"You are not your everyday person, Peter," Etaria claimed as she took a step forward.

This time, it was Fay's turn to get at the tip of her toes and turn her hands into fists as she stared daggers down the princess's face.

"You are not just a simple merchant either," the princess added, stopping just shy of five steps away. "So, what is a person like you doing in this forest to begin with?"

'That's…'

For a second, I hesitated.

Not because I didn't expect this kind of a question. I stopped because I assumed it would come much later in the talks.

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"Keeping certain things a mystery does give a man a charm, doesn't it?"

Throwing the ball back to Etaria's court, I smiled lightly while crossing my hands over my chest. Yet, seeing the disgruntled face and then feeling Fay's stare digging into my back…

"My reason for being here is nothing that you expect, though, your majesty," giving up, I spoke out while turning sideways to reach out with my hand to Fay.

She stood way too far away for my hand to reach her. Still, seeing my motion, Fay moved lightly forward, grabbing onto my hand only to wrap herself around it as she closed in and pushed herself against my side while locking her arm on her chest.

For a second, I looked down at Fay. From her long legs, through her slim waist, robust chest, and adorable face coated in the storm of silvery white. And while my mind relaxed upon feeding on its favorite stimulant, I sorted out my thoughts and the order of what I was going to say next.

"I'm here simply because I can be here," I started out. "I'm here because I brought some nice drinks to share with my mother-in-law. I'm here because this is where my dearest is from. I'm here because the herbs here are simply too good to ignore. I'm here because…"

I shook my head right as the first hints of understanding started to blossom in Etaria's eyes.

This short rant was merely an introduction to the main point I was about to bring… But I didn't throw all of those words out for nothing.

Instead, it was my way of sharing the information that I could otherwise use as bargaining chips. Yet, with my current standing, rather than negotiating better terms by bringing out more intriguing news about the forest, I was better off revealing those things for free.

At the cost of losing whatever advantage this disproportion of information could offer, I could sneakily raise the worth of the forest in Etaria's eyes. And with where I was going with my strategy for those talks, this point was more important than anything else.

"I could list out many more reasons for me to be here, but they all boil down to my wife-to-be being here," I summed up my entire point from before in a single sentence.

I've already conveyed the hints I hoped the princess to pick up on, so now it was the time to move the discussion ahead.

"But I believe you are asking the wrong question, Your Majesty." I smiled lightly. "Rather than asking why am I here, wouldn't it be better for you to know why I'm willing to stand at the forefront of those who wish to preserve this forest?"

As soon as I finished my piece, I slightly accelerated and deepened my breathing pattern.

For what I was about to do next, I needed a lot of air in my lungs and just as much energy to change my expression around.

"Don't act as if you are going to reveal something so important for f…"

"I'm going to defend this forest, no matter the cost, because this is where my dearest was born and grew up to become the most precious person in my life," I spoke out, slowly starting to nibble at the energy and air I gathered in advance.

"And you guys kind of fucked up my honeymoon plans," I added, turning my eyes still and putting the slightest smile on my face while leaning my whole head slightly to the side.

And amidst all the emptiness that filled my eyes, I allowed just a hint of a boiling rage at those who dared to commit the sin of cock-blocking me.

"Excuse me?" Etaria muttered, taken aback by my statement that was as sudden as it was unfit for this particular conversation.

"Because you guys came knocking, I had no other choice but to put my sweet, lovely plans aside," I spoke before jerking my arm a little, pulling Fay forward half a step.

"I know you are a woman, but even you should be able to tell just how massive of a sacrifice it is to stop when I'm with such a cutie!" I screamed out, finally releasing the valve and filling my voice with a mixture of rage, frustration, and hostility.

Etaria's eyes moved up to her forehead.

"That's…" she muttered, so confused and lost for words, that she actually retreated a step.

THE golden princess of the empire, someone famed to the point that even the divines and celestials heard rumors of her exploits. And I, with just words alone, managed to make her give up some ground.

'Feels pretty nice, huh?'

Yet, as soon as my soul filled with a sense of satisfaction, a different feeling hatched in my heart, making me pull my arm, and thus Fay, back to my side.

Strangely enough, as great as it felt to brag about her to the world, putting her on display for all to see only made me feel jealous and possessive of her.

"That's why, as fucking angry as I am, I want to wrap this up as soon as possible and go from a protector back to just a devoted lover."

For some unknown reason, speaking those lines didn't even make me flinch or blush. On the other hand, even with our bond running at a passive gear, I could tell just how embarrassed Fay was to hear such bold declarations out in the open.

"So, how about we stop playing and have you reveal what's the real intent of the empire here?" I suggested, quelling my partially fake rage and putting the pressure of making a decision on the princess.

Etaria squinted her eyes a little before licking her lips clean and reconquering the step she lost while baffled by my bold declarations of love.

"I'm afraid things won't be as easy for you, then," the princess announced while shaking her head to the sides a tiny bit. "Because earlier, you were right. This war has to play its course for an empire not to collapse under it's own weight, it has to project it elsewhere."